Sanya Sihai's Printed Car Exemplifies Affordable Transportation

The use of 3D printing technology for the automotive industry means that there's huge potential for customization, as well as more affordable transportation options that will be emerging.

Sanya Sihai is a Chinese company that has printed an electric-powered vehicle that has a fully 3D-printed exterior. The body of the car weighs in at just over 1,100 pounds, using up hundreds of pounds of filament in the printing process. In total, the car took about 5 days to print and about a month to assemble. Although this may seem like a bit of a wait compared to picking up a new model from a dealership and being able to drive off right away, including the costs of labor and electricity, the car only cost about $1,770 to manufacture.